Most of the world's cocoa is grown in a narrow belt 10 degrees either side of the Equator because cocoa trees grow well in humid tropical climates with regular rains and a short dry season.
The process involves harvesting cocoa, refining cocoa to cocoa beans, and shipping the cocoa beans to the manufacturing factory for cleaning, coaching and grinding. These cocoa beans will then be imported or exported to other countries and be transformed into different type of chocolate products.
The top four countries responsible for the production of chocolate are the United States, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium.
The U.S. is one of the top producers of high-quality chocolates, with U.S. chocolate manufacturers bringing in over $20 billion annually in retail sales. The largest chocolate company in North America, and one of the most recognized chocolate brands worldwide, is Hersheys. Most corporations engaged in the manufacture of chocolate in the U.S. purchase their cocoa beans from the Ivory Coast.
GermanyGerman chocolate manufacturers represent nearly a $10 billion per year industry. Stollwerck Chocolates Company is one of the most famous chocolate manufacturers in the country; it also has production plants in Belgium and Switzerland. Other famous chocolate brands in Germany include La Maison du Chocolat, Tortchen and Leonidas Chocolates.
SwitzerlandSwitzerland is well-known for its chocolates and principal chocolate manufacturers. The production of chocolate is a primary source of wealth for the country. World-renowned chocolate brands that originated in Switzerland include Nestle, Toblerone, Lindt and Sprungli. Today, the Swiss are the largest consumers of the chocolate produced within their own country. In 2000, approximately 54% of the country's chocolate was consumed by the Swiss. Switzerland also has the highest per capita rate of chocolate consumption in the world, which is nearly 30 pounds per capita every year. The Swiss chocolate industry, as of 2005, produced gross revenues of approximately $14 billion.
BelgiumBelgium is also world-renowned for its chocolates, and it is a major chocolate manufacturing center. There are approximately 15 chocolate factories and more than 2,000 chocolate shops in Belgium. One of the most famous chocolate companies in the world, Godiva, makes its home in Brussels. Belgian chocolatiers generate annual sales of approximately $12 billion. Since 1884, the composition of Belgian chocolate has been regulated by law. To ensure the purity of the chocolate and to prevent reliance on low-quality fat from outside sources, Belgian law mandates that a minimum of 35% pure cocoa must be used in production. A significant portion of the chocolate firms in Belgium produce chocolates largely by hand, without the aid of modern production equipment.